Monday, December 15, 2003

Baseball has day of trades
NEW ORLEANS The Boston Red Sox revved-up the AL East arms race by closing a deal for All-Star closer Keith Foulke on Saturday, hours before the New York Yankees completed their trade for Kevin Brown.

NOW PLAYING: The Haunted Mansion
The Walt Disney Company, in a valiant attempt to bring the feeling of visiting their theme parks to our everyday life, have finally done it. Their latest "thrill-fest", The Haunted Mansion, achieves everything that the previous effort, Pira

Borough needs to support Homer and encourage buyback of leases
I am so glad that the Homer City Council saw the wisdom in passing a resolution that asks the state of Alaska to buy back the coal bed methane leases in the Homer area as well as to revise House Bill 69. This will help protect our drinking water and our property rights.

Spirit of volunteering shows at ski competition
The Skyview Cross Country Ski Team recently hosted the Skyview Invitational bringing 12 teams together from around the Kenai Peninsula and Anchorage area for an exciting two-day event of skate and classic competition.

Survey targets gaming
Results of an informal survey conducted over the past month by Rep. Dan Ogg, R-Kodiak, in his Kodiak district indicate some Alaskans may be willing to have state lawmakers consider a lottery, but they are overwhelmingly opposed to allowing electronic gaming machines like video poker in bars.

Americans celebrate capture of Saddam
CHICAGO First, Americans watched as his statue fell in Baghdad. On Sunday, many celebrated again as news that U.S. forces had captured Saddam Hussein spread across the country.

Iraqi leader found in cramped hide-out
BAGHDAD, Iraq Cornered alone in a cramped hole near one of his sumptuous palaces, a weary, disheveled Saddam Hussein was seized by U.S. troops and displayed on television screens worldwide Sunday, a humiliating fate for one of history's most brutal dictators.

Photo features: Bring on the big guy
Hannah and Haley Wells clap their hands as Santa Claus arrives at Soldotna's Christmas tree-lighting ceremony Thursday at Parker Park. The crowd went inside the Soldotna Senior Citizens Center for music and refreshments after the tree was lit.

DOT enlightens Soldotna council with bridge update
Though he could have used better phrasing when saying the aesthetic design features of the new Kenai River bridge in Soldotna will be "striking" to pedestrians and motorists, the representative from Land Design North was right that the features will be eye-catching.

The Wrights' story, in their own words
EDITOR'S NOTE Wednesday is the 100th anniversary of Wilbur and Orville Wright's first powered airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, N.C. The feat was duly noted by the nation's press at the time, but the Wrights claimed the account was ''incorrect in almost every detail.'' Here from the archives of Wright State University and the Library of Congress is the brothers' own account, transmitted by The Associated Press on Jan. 5, 1904, and retransmitted for the 75th anniversary in December 1978. Punctuation, spelling and style are from the original typewritten document.

Around the Peninsula
Frontier Community Services to hold open house
Boys and Girls club plan fine arts exhibit
AARP to discuss elder abuse
Visitor center to hold grand opening
Help for home day-care providers available
Church to hold concert

Ask a firefighter
Question: Although smoke detectors are essential in every household, they're designed to detect, not control the fire. What more can an individual do to protect his family and home in the event of a fire?

Community Schools
The following list of Soldotna Community Schools classes and activities beginning this week is printed as a reminder to preregistered participants. Anyone who is interested in a class or activity should call the Community Schools office at 262-6768. Children are not allowed to attend an adult class or wait unattended while a parent attends a class.

My best friend
Saber, a 6-year-old, German shepherd, is owned by the Poole family in Soldotna, who loves him and thinks there is not another dog as wonderful.

SkyHi takes Region III Duals
The Skyview Panthers wrestling team scratched and clawed its way to the top of Region III this weekend, racking up a perfect 6-0 record at the Region III Duals Friday and Saturday at Soldotna and Skyview.

Grand Valley State repeats as Division II champions
FLORENCE, Ala. Grand Valley State won its second straight NCAA Division II title Saturday, with Mike Hoad intercepting a fourth-down pass with 27 seconds left to seal the Lakers' 10-3 victory over North Dakota.

Nikiski second at state
If there's one thing a state wrestling championship never lacks, it's drama, and there were plenty of stories played out on the mats at the Class 1-2-3A state high school wrestling championships Saturday in Anchorage.

Homer earns split at Delta Junction
Homer goalie Ben Miller racked up 78 saves in two games to help the Mariners split a double header with the Delta Huskies Saturday in Delta Junction.

Pierce's 41 help Celtics overcome LeBron's 37
CLEVELAND Paul Pierce scored a season-high 41 points and stole the ball from LeBron James in the final minute to help the Boston Celtics win their fifth straight game, 105-98 over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night.

Kenai's Ischi tallies four goals
It's nothing new for Kenai Central senior Phillip Ischi to be on a line that produces plentiful points, but it is new for Ischi's linemates to be named Ryan Hicks and John McGlasson as opposed to 2003 graduates Adrian Borchgrevink and Owen Brewer.

SoHi girls win skiing team title
The Soldotna girls and Colony boys picked up team victories Friday and Saturday at the HOLMENKOL Mat-Su Pursuit at Colony High School.

Skyview, Palmer tie
Skyview's Paddy Iverson netted the game-tying goal with just 4:53 left to play in regualtion to help Skyview fight back from a 5-3 defecit and earn a 5-5 tie Saturday night against Palmer in North Star Conference action at the Soldotna Sports Center.

Conklin comes up big in Oilers' win
ANAHEIM, Calif. Raffi Torres scored the go-ahead goal with 5:29 remaining and Radek Dvorak had two assists in the Edmonton Oilers' 3-2 victory over Anaheim on Sunday night.